Mop



-- f Nov. 4 1924.

c. Ju'MoNvlLLE MOP Filed Aug. 3, 1922 Patented Nov. 4, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MOP.

Application filed August 3, 1922. Serial No. 579,353.

To aZZ womz't may camera:

Be it known that I, CHARLES JUMoNvrLLn, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city-of New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans, State -of Louisiana` have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Mops, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mops, and more particularly to mops which may be wrung out by twisting the mop strands about the mop handle.

The aim of my invention is to provide a mop which improves upon prior mop con'- structions, and to provide a mop which is simple and durable in construction. and to provide a mop which may, with a minimum amount of effort and exertion, 'be used, wrung out, relieved of mop strands. and replenished with other mop strands. Another object of my invention is to provide a mop having means for automaticallv holding the mop strands twisted about the handle, which means are simple in construction and may quickly and easily be operated to hold the strands in, or to release the strands from such position. A further object of my invention is to provide an improved socket which holds the mop strands against slipping. Other objects of my invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter:

i My invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hercinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In order that a clearer understanding of my 'invention may be had, attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and illustrating one possible embodiment of this invention. Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation of a side of a mop embodying my invention in position for use; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the mop strands locked in twisted position about the handle; Fig. 3 is a central Vertical section through the lower elements ofv the mop, certain parts being broken away to more clearly bring out the details of the construction; Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig' 3. Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the p 'the rod. The lower ends 5 of mop strands 6 are bound by Wire 7 upon a socket 8, which has interior threads 9 whereby the socket and strands may be attached. securely but removably, to the threads at the lower end of the handle 1 and sleeve 3, and at its upper end has an annular flare 10. The other ends 11 of strands 6 are bound by encircling wire 12 about a sleeve 13 which is mounted about handle 1 and sleeve 3 for turning and sliding thereon, sleeve 13 having an extension 14 adapted to be grasped by the hand. The construction so far described is similar to the construction disclosed in my prior application, Serial No. 521.214, filed December 9, 1921.

My present construction improves upon said construction by providing mechanical means for holding the mop strands extended along and twisted about the handle, thereby avoiding the continued manual exertion heretofore necessary in holding the strands so extended and twisted during the continuance of the wringing operation, and in addition providing means for placing the mop in more convenient and Sanitary shape for Storage and transportation.

As one possible means to this end I pro- -vide a ratchet button 15 on sleeve 13) and a cooperating ratchet or ratchets 16 on sleeve 3. The inner end of button 15 provides a shoulder 17 adapted to engage the shoulder 18 of one of the ratchets 16 to prevent the turning of the sleeve 13 about the handle 1, and there is suflicient fric-tional engagement between the button 15 and ratchet 16 laterally to prevent sleeve 13 from sliding down the handle 1. Button 15 has a square portion 19 and an annular extended ortion 20, and is mounted for radial reciprocation in a hole 21 m sleeve 13,

which hole is shaped similarly to the button, having an annular portion 22 and a sguare portion 23 which is too small to per-mit the button portion `20 to pass therethrough. Thus the button 15 is held in the hole 21 against turning and against falling out When the handle 1v extends 'through sleeve 13. To wring out the mop, extension 14 of sleeve 13 is grasped in the hand and pulled upwardly along handle 1, thus extending the attached mop strands therealong. The ratchets 16 on sleeve 3 are so disposed as to be engaged by the button 15 When sleeve 13 is inL thisposition. Sleeve '13 is now `turned about handle 1 and simultaneously in- `Ward pressure is applied by hand to button v 15, thus twisting the mop strands.

When the mop strands,` by means of such twisting, are brought under suflicient wringing tension, instead of continuing to hold the sleeve manually to hold the mop strands against becoming untwisted and to maintain a wringing effect, as has heretofore been customary, the operatorls hand may be withdrawn entirel'y, since the eooperation between ratchets 16 and button 15 serves to hold the sleeve 13 against reverse turning on handle 1 and thus serves to maintain the strands twisted about handle 1 and under wringing tension. As before noted, in mops of this character heretofore constructed, the

mop strands normally and automatically` bunch at the lower end of. the mop when held in Vertical position and unless prevented by manual operation, and the mop strands are so bunched when-ever the mop is laid aside or transported. By reason of my improved means above described for mechanically holding the mop strands extended alone` and twisted about the mopl handle, I am able to place my mop in muc more convenient and Sanitary shape whenever it is desired to transport or place the same aside.

The outer surface of button 15 adjacent shoulder 17 is preferably tapered outwardly, as at 24, and is adapted to be engaged by the tapering surfaces 25 of the ratchet 16, so that when no inward pressure is exerted upon button 15, the turning of the sleeve 13 in twisting direction about handle 1 ``throws but-ton 15 outwardly. and allows the sleeve 13 to be turned in unt-Wisting direction on handle 1, and also to slide downward thereon so long as no inward pressure is applied to button 15. The button 15 and ratchet 16 cooperate in the above described. manner particularly well when the mop is held in Vertical positon.

moderate tension of the twisted'- mop strands, the mop may be freely moved about and placed in any position without the looking engagement between the ratchet button and the ratchets becomng disrupted However, after' button 15 has engaged ratchet 16 under even* As another improvement upon prior mop constructions, I provide means upon the socket 8 for preventing mop strands attached to the socket from slipping or twisting thereon. To this end I V crimp or corrugate a portion of the outer periphery of the s'ock-l thus serve to hold the mop st-rands against slipping and turningon socket 8.

lSleeve 3, including the threaded portion for the ratchet portions 16 and the inter-l mediate portion, may be provided by one 5 or more separate pieces as desired. As shown in the drawings, sleeve `3 is made in two pieces, one piece including the ratchet 16 and intermediate portion, and the other piece constituting a ferrule providin the threaded end L1. These portions may e lsecured against sliding and rotation upon the handle 1. by means of nails or by indenting the metal, as at 27.

The interior threads 9 of the socket 8 may v be arranged to extend only to the crimp portion 26. In this event the handle 1 may be provided with an extension 28 below its threads 2 adapted to seat within the socket 8 behind the crimp portion and to extend to the; end of the socket. Sleeve 3 may like- Wise be provided With an extended portion 219 arranged to surround portion 28 of hancle 1.

From the above, the construction and operation of the 'mop `will be readily apparent.

In a mop embodying my invention, the quantity of material of the mop head bunched at the end of the handle makes it possible to clean a large amount of floor space in a little time. thus much time is savedy as well as strength. ,A mop of this yconstruction is as simple as the prior constructions and may be used Without. the operator touching the mop head with the hand. The operator may also at all timesstand Comfortably erect. The mop may be wrung by holding it in Vertical position, securing the sleeve 13 in the left hand and rotating the handle to the right With the right hand, while 1 holding the socket stationary and pressing the ratchet button inwardly Vat the same time. To release the mop strands'from extended and twisted-position about the mop handle, no pressure is applied to thevbuttonl and the sleeve only is held.L Bylsimply turning the mop handle to the right,'thebutton releases itself, andzthe mopzstrands may.

llit) be restored to untwisted position and bunched again at the vend of the mop handle' As many changes couldl be made in the a -of handle 1 (Fig. 4) are not covered by sleeve 3 as shown.

What I claim is 1. The combination with a mop handle, a sleeve slidable and rotatable on said handle, and mop fabric attached at one end to an end of said handle and attached at the other end to said sleeve, of means, comprising a stationary ratchet surface on said handle and a coacting ratchet button movably mounted on said sleeve, for holding said sleeve against rotation about and against sliding along said handle when said mop fabric has been stretched along and twisted about said handle by relative movement between said sleeve and said handle, said ratchet surface Presenting engaging shoulders extending longitndinally along said handle, and saidbutton being mova le radally on said sleeve into and out of engagement with said ratchet shoulders.

2. The combination with a mop handle.I mop strands thereon, and manuall)T operable means, including a sleeve slidable along and rotatable about said handle and enga-ging said strands, for extending said strands alon and twisting said strands about said han le, and means, comprising an elongated ratchet surface on said handle and a coacting ratchet button movably mounted on said sleeve, for'holding said sleeeve against turning in untwisting direction on said handle when said strands have been twisted about said handle.

3. The combination with a mop handle, a' sleeve slidable and'rota'table on said handle, and mop fabric attached at opposite ends to said handle and sleeve, of a button slidably mounted in a radial perforation in the sleeve and protruding therefrom, said button and perforation having corresponding square ortions Whereby the button is prevented rom turning in said sleeve, and said button having a portion inwardly of and larger than said square portions whereby movement of said button in said perforation is limited in an outward direction, and means, comprisin coacting shoulders, one on the inner end o said button and another on the mop handle for releasably looking said' sleeve against rotation about the handle in untwisting direction when the mop fabric is stretched along-and twisted about the handle due to manipulation of the sleeve thereon.

4. The combination With a mop handle, a sleeve slidable and rotatable on said handle, and mop fabric attached at opposite ends to said handle and sleeve, of a button slidably mounted in a radial perforation in the sleeve and protruding therefrom, said button and perforation having corresponding square portions whereby the button is prevented from turning in said sleeve, and said button having a portion inwardly of and larger than said square portions whereby movement of said button in said perforation is limited in an outward direction, and means, comprising coacting shoulders, one on the inner end of said button and another on the mop handle for releasably looking said sleeve against rotation about the handle in untwisting direction When the mop fabric is stretched along and twisted about the handle due to manipulation of the sleeve thereon, one of said shoulders being ta ered, whereby relative rotation between sai button and handle in twisting direction places said button outwardly in the perforation and permits subsequent rotation of the sleeve in untwisting direction.

5. The combination with a mop handle, a sleeve slidable and rotatable on said handle, and mop fabric attached at one end to an end of said handle and attached at the other end to said sleeve, a button loosel;I mounted in a radial perforation in said sleeve and having a shoulder at its inner end, a ratchet surface on the handle adjacent the shoulder of the button and adapted to coact therewith, the outer end of said button protruding from said perforation whereby the shoulder may be moved manually into coaction with said ratchet surface, and said ratchet surface and shoulder when coacting having a tapered engagement whereby relative rotative movement between said shoulder and ratchet places the shoulder and ratchet out of coacting relation.

6. The combination with a mop handle, a sleeve slidable and rotatable on the mop handle, and mop fabric attached at opposite ends to said handle and sleeve, of a shouldered surface on said handle, and a button carried on said sleeve for inward and out- Ward movement thereon and having a shoulder engageable with the shouldered surface of the handle, said button having a manually engageable portion, the button when subjected to inward manual pressure interlooking with the mop handle preventing relative rotation in untwisting direction, and when released from manual pressure being movable out of engagement with the mop handle by relative rotative movement between the button and handle, to permit relative rotation in untwisting direction.

7. The combination with a mop handle havin a threaded extre'mity, and mop bound upon the said socket, Whereby vsaid stran s, of a socket comprising a single sheet strands Iere held against slipping aboutvsaid of metal having portions bent into threads socket. v

adapted to' fit the threads on the extremity This' specifieation signed this 26 day of l of the mop handle, and having portions bent July, 1922. i

radially outwardly forming projectionys pot f sitioned to engage said mop strands when CHARLES J UMON VILLE. 

